Orthodox Churches

Serbian church delegation arrives in Moscow

The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, arrived on July 16th, 2013 for an irenic visit to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Commissioners of Birzet Community visit Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Wednesday the 27^th of June/10^th of July 2013, the Commissioners of the Rum Orthodox Community of Birzet, a city adjacent to Ramallah, paid a visit to His Beatitude Theophilos, Our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Matters which concern the community were discussed during the visit, the first of which is the construction of a new church, due to the small capacity of the existing church of St George the Great Martyr and Trophy-Bearer.

Feast of Saint Euphemia at the Phanar

On Thursday, Jul 11, 2013, a Hierarchal Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Great Martyr St. Euphemia was celebrated at the Patriarchal Church of St. George. His All-Holiness was present in the altar with hierarchs of the Ecumenical throne. Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria presided over the Divine Liturgy, while Metropolitan Stephanos of Kallioupolis and Madytos, Acting Grand Chancellor, presided over Great Vespers on the eve of the feast.

Pastoral visit of Patriarch of Jerusalem to Jordan

On Monday, the 18th of June, the beginning of the fast of the holy Apostles/1st July 2013, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, left Jerusalem accompanied by the Patriarchal Commissioner, the Most Reverend Isychios, Metropolitan of Kapitolias, the Elder Sacristan Aristarchos, Archbishop of Constantina, and the Hegoumen of Fhes, Archimandrite Ieronymos.

Feast of St. Kyriaki in Istanbul

On Sunday, July 7, 2013, His All-Holiness presided over the concelebration of the Divine Liturgy for the patronal feast of the Church of St. Kyriaki in Kontoskali, Istanbul, with Metropolitans Germanos of Theodoroupolis and Athenagoras of Kydonies. Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra was also in attendance. After the Divine Liturgy, the Ecumenical Patriarch held a Trisaghion service for the blessed memory of Fr. Meletios Sakkoulides, who was the parish priest for many years.

Metropolitan Kiril of Varna and Veliki Preslav reposed in the Lord

Metropolitan Kiril of Varna and Veliki Preslav of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has been found dead on a Black Sea beach not so far from the Metropolitan's residence in the exurban area of Trakata., the Holy Synod said on July 9 2013 in its statement. At the moment, the body of Metropolitan Kiril is at the Forensic Medicine Department. Information published in the media about his violent death has not been confirmed. The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Bulgarian Patriarchate call upon all Orthodox Christians to pray to God to give rest to the soul of Metropolitan Kiril there, where the righteous repose.